A Second Chance
by ttfan111robstar1
Summary: Chloe Kelcher uses the leftover semen to get pregnant again, and this time, the baby lives. A series of one-shots about her journey to motherhood, dealing with the loss of Cortland, and watching their son grow up.
1. A Second Chance

She had inseminated herself easily. Everything had been done to ensure another pregnancy. Now all she had to do was wait.

Around that time she had also filed to legally change her last name to Ryan. After that she used part of her savings to buy a wedding ring to wear on her left hand, and to seal the deal, hired the best hacker she could find to create legal marriage documents citing Cortland as her husband. They would pass even the most rigorous of government inspections.

When she got the news that she was pregnant again, it brought a new sense of joy into her life. The baby anchored her in times of distress. This time, however, she would be even more careful. She took prenatal vitamins, stayed off of her feet most of the time and did everything she could to keep her child safe. She knew she couldn't handle the loss of another child again.

Her baby would live. There was no other option.

When it came time to deliver, she calmly got into a taxi and rode to the hospital. She was soon being wheeled into a delivery room that smelled of the hospital, blood, and freshly mopped floors. The fluorescent lights were bright and oppressive as she tried to fixate on something other than the contractions happening inside of her body.

The pain was tearing her up inside, but she didn't let it show. She remained stoic in her distress. She clutched the railing of her bed, covered in a sheen of sweat. Her pillow was too hot under her, and it annoyed her to no end, but she gritted her teeth and bore it.

She had chosen a natural birth. She refused a spinal block, fearing that even what seemed harmless would hurt her baby. She tried to keep telling herself that she had done the right thing, but the pain was interfering with her ability to think clearly.

The doctor came in, checked her cervix, and announced that it was time to start pushing.

She pushed, wishing forlornly that Cortland was there to hold her hand. She refused to give up until, at last, there was a cry, and the pain suddenly dissipated. The nurse put the baby in her arms and the rest of the world simply vanished around her.

The baby in her arms was perfect. The best mix of Cortland and herself. With his dark hair and her skin tone. She cuddled him, feeling Cortland's love and pride shining down on her. She was quiet and happy. The baby reached up to her. She leaned her head toward him and let his tiny hand brush up against her cheek. She was awash with the new feelings that came with motherhood.

She was so proud.

"What are you going to name him?" Asked the nurse.

"Bryce." She said quietly. Naming him Cortland would have been too obvious. She would use it as a middle name. She filled out the birth certificate before she passed out.

In her dream, Cortland stood before her, smiling a bright, megawatt smile at her. He stroked her cheek, and she leaned into his heavenly, addictive touch.

"I'm so proud of you, my dove." He whispered.

She smiled and put her hands on his face, gently pulling him into a kiss.

"I love you so much, baby." She leaned into his chest.

His arms were around her. It was complete bliss.

"Take care of our baby." He whispered into her ear.

"I will. Don't worry." She swore.

He sat down, and she made her way into his lap, leaning into him.

They looked up at the sky and named constellations that were in the stars above them.

She told him about the nursery she built, how she arranged the stars on the ceiling to make the constellations. She told him everything about the baby, and he smiled, stroking her hair.

"I will love you both forever." He promised.

"I know." She sighed. "I wish you could be with us."

"I'm always with you." He promised. "My beautiful wife."

She held onto him, afraid to let go.

"I miss you so much." A tear leaked down her cheek.

"I miss you too."

They held close, just enjoying being together. He looked down at her.

"I have to go now. I was only allowed to see you for a little while."

"Will I see you again?"

"Of course, my darling. But for now I have to go."

"I love you." She whispered, kissing his forehead.

"I love you too." He kissed her lips, and then he was gone.

Slowly, her eyes opened, and she felt lighter somehow. As if she had been carrying a hundred pound weight and it had finally been cast off of her.

She stayed in the hospital for two more days before she and Bryce Cortland Ryan were allowed to go home. She cuddled her son happily. A piece of her perfect Cortland was born into the world. She knew she was going to be an amazing mother. She didn't have any parental figures to speak of. Her parents had passed suddenly when she was eighteen in a car accident.

However, she never forgot their love story.

They had met in high school. Both sets of parents opposed their union, but they didn't care. On the night of her mother's eighteenth birthday they eloped together, fleeing Atlanta, Georgia to Lower Caanan, Ohio, where she was born two years later. They seemingly had the perfect marriage, never fighting or quarreling. There was only love and affection. Because of them, she believed in true love. Because of them, she believed in soulmates.

She fed her son, singing to him softly as she cradled him in her arms. She kissed his forehead with the softness and tenderness that only a mother could have. When he fell asleep, she kept holding him, worried if she let him go that somehow something awful would happen and her inner peace would be shattered. She stopped singing when she was certain he was asleep, and reluctantly put him in his crib. While he slept, she made herself a sandwich to eat.

When she finished, she decided to write to Cortland. Despite his death, she still wrote him letters for something as elaborate as declaring her undying love for him, to something as little as telling him about her day. She got out paper and a pen, and went out on her back porch. She took a pitcher of lemonade and a baby monitor out with her in case her son woke up.

In contrast to the usual gloom in the Ohio sky, it was a bright day. The view of the sun was unobstructed and cheery. It was a perfect day to be outdoors.

She had a small glass table with two chairs and a swing on her back porch. She sat at the small table and poured herself a glass of lemonade to sip as she wrote her letter.

_My Dearest Cortland,_

_Today I brought home our little bundle of joy home. Your visit in my dreams has brought me such joy. Oh how I miss you, my darling. How I wish I could hold you in my arms. You light up my world, and now that our son is in the world he will inherit your light. You are still with us, watching over us from the stars. I can feel your loving embrace in the sun that warms my face, and the warmth of my bed when I wake in the morning. When the wind blows gently through my hair, I know that is you kissing my cheek. Oh my beloved, how I love you so. You will live on immortally in my heart._

_All My Love,  
Your Dove_

She folded up the letter, then went inside. She got a lighter from a drawer, then went back outside to burn the letter so that Cortland would receive the letter in heaven.

She went back inside after that, and shut the porch door carefully.

She went up to the nursery and sat in the rocking chair she had positioned in the corner of the room. There was a blanket draped over the back of the chair.

While he had been incarcerated, she had sent him several pictures of blankets and he had picked that one out himself. She watched her baby sleep for a long time. She was so excited to start a life with her baby. She had considered moving, but was certain that she couldn't leave the place where she had fallen in love with Cortland. He was so precious to her.

She rocked in the chair quietly, and soon fell asleep herself.

When she woke the baby was crying. She made her way over to the crib and picked him up.

"What's the matter, Angel?" She asked sweetly. She cuddled him, then went to check his diaper. After changing him and feeding him again, she walked around the house with him. "Your Daddy loves you so much." She whispered. "He's always watching over you."

He was dressed in blue footed pajamas covered in stars and a matching hat. She had wrapped him in the blanket that rested on the back of the chair, hoping to remind him of his father in some strange way.

"Welcome home, My miracle." She whispered. "It's us against the world."

The baby cooed, and she held him a bit tighter.

Night fell over Lower Caanan, and Chloe took her son out on the back porch. She looked up at the stars and was reassured that Cortland was watching over them.

"Daddy's watching over us."

She cuddled him, then began to sing.

_"Angels watch over my baby,__  
__Grant him a lifetime of your care__  
__So that even when I can not be with him__  
__I'll know you will always be there._

_Angels watch over my baby,__  
__Grant him a lifetime of your love__  
__So that even when my eyes are closed__  
__I'll know that you watch over from above._

_Angels watch over my baby,__  
__Grant him your laughter and joy.__  
__For there is no one on earth any dearer,__  
__to me, than my little baby boy._"

By the end of the song, her baby was asleep. She got up carefully and set him in his crib before going to bed herself.


	2. Christmas

**"Motherhood is a great honor and privilege, yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby, spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers, or preparing meals, moms continuously put others before themselves."- Charles Stanley**

Snow was gently falling on the grounds of Ohio. Chloe was busy decorating the house for Christmas while Bryce was napping. He was now five months old. She sighed as she strung silver and gold garland all over the Christmas tree. She had already hung red and green ornament bulbs all over the tree. The only other ornaments were Angels. She had purposefully decorated it that way, in honor of Cortland.

She absolutely loved the holiday season. It made her feel so joyful and festive. She always went all out when it came to decking the halls. Now she had an even better reason to do it. For her son's first Christmas.

The cries of her son pulled her away from her decorating. Grinning, she went to fetch him from the nursery. She had dressed him in a striped Christmas colored romper with a picture of a reindeer on it. She swept him into her arms happily and covered him with kisses.

"Hello my little angel." She crooned. She changed him quickly and then carried him into the living room. She leaned down and plugged in the Christmas tree.

Little Bryce was mystified by the twinkling lights.

The moments like this made her so proud to be a mother. She was filled with happiness. She knew that when he got older she would be lifting him up so that he could put the Angel on top of the tree. She knew someday he would ask about his father, and she would tell him everything she knew. She would show him the letters, the pictures of them together, and everything that made him wonderful. She would not hide the truth of who he was from her son. She swore to herself that she would be honest with him from the start. That Daddy never got to hold him, but that he was always watching over them. Always and forever.

Bryce had turned out to be an incredibly cheerful baby. He loved to cuddle with her and be close. He was so clingy, but she loved it. He was her entire world, from the beginning to the end. She was a woman with almost no social connections to the outside world. Cortland had been her last tie. She had only gone out to put flowers on his grave. She had taken Bryce there a few times when it was warmer out. She knew she would take him there many times throughout the years.

She envisioned the future in snatches. Her son's first smile, his first words and steps, his baptism, his first day of preschool. She stopped herself before going too far. That was too much emotion for her.

She finished decorating within a few minutes, and took a step back to admire her work.

It looked perfect. And it should. It was her baby's first Christmas.

That weekend she got a soft book version of "The Night Before Christmas" to read to him on Christmas Eve. It was an old family tradition. She was proud to be continuing it on.

Christmas Eve came quickly, and Chloe was busy setting up her son's mountain of gifts. Santa was going to be incredibly generous this year. She had gone all out- she got him new stuffed animals, learning toys, books, and clothes.

Her favorite piece of clothing was a pair of footie pajamas that were blue with angel wings on the back. The front said "Mommy's little angel". She thought it was a perfect way to pay homage to Cortland.

It was nearly 7:30, so she brought her son into the bathroom and bathed him before bringing him into his nursery and sat in the rocking chair and started to read to him. Quickly enough, he fell asleep and she gently tucked him in and planted a kiss on his forehead.

She dragged herself into her room. Although she was excited for her son, days like these made her heart ache for Cortland. She curled up under the covers and had a good cry, listening to a sad song on her iPod before finally falling asleep.

Chloe awoke two times during the night to tend to Bryce, but woke up officially at eight in the morning. She could hear him playing in his crib over the baby monitor. She got up, feeling the intense joy that came with Christmas that she hadn't felt in years. She came into the nursery to hear her son babbling happily.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart!" She said, lifting him up in the air and spinning him around. He giggled and laughed, and she sat down to feed him his breakfast before sitting on the floor and helping him to open his presents. Bryce's first Christmas was a white one, full of excitement and laughter. The toy he took to most quickly was a small stuffed bear. It wasn't anything particularly special. She played Christmas music through all of the house, where Bryce was trying to sing along and clapping.

He enjoyed the rattle she had bought him, along with some soft blocks. She sat him in a playpen, propping him up with some pillows while she started baby-proofing the house. She had been reading up on every stage of her son's development from the time she knew how far along she was in her pregnancy. Soon her little boy would be scooting and crawling around the house. She tried to push the disappointment aside.

She only wanted to do a little at a time. Today she baby-proofed all the electrical outlets in the house. Those were the ones she worried about. Tomorrow she would proof the edges of tables. Besides, she wanted to spend as much time with her son as possible.

As morning light turned to dark of night, Chloe put her busy little boy to bed. When she got back to her room, she journaled down the day for Cortland.

_My Darling Cortland,___

_Our son had a wonderful first Christmas. He was so happy and excited about his presents. He's starting to sit up by himself now, and is babbling constantly. Soon he'll start crawling, so I've started baby-proofing the house so he doesn't get hurt.__  
__His joy reminds me of you. So vivacious and full of life. He's such a happy child. I was blessed in that regard- and in others. __  
__I knew true love in you. That was a blessing. I only wish you were here to celebrate with us. Merry Christmas, my love. You will always be our guardian angel.___

_All My Love,__  
__Your Dove_


	3. Baptism

**Author's Note: The song enclosed is an original and may not be used without my consent.**

**"The Church does not dispense the sacrament of baptism in order to acquire for herself an increase in membership but in order to consecrate a human being to God and to communicate to that person the divine gift of birth from God."- Hans Urs Von Balthasar**

It was an unusually bright morning in January in Lower Caanan, Ohio. Chloe Ryan awoke from her slumber refreshed and eager to tackle her day.

Today her son was getting baptized.

She herself had grown up in an episcopalian church. She remembered being baptized at the age of seven. Her mother had been crying with joy as she was baptized in the tiny white chapel in her church.

Over the years she had soured on religion. She hadn't been involved with the Episcopal church since she turned twelve. She had wanted to feel her way around different religions and go beyond what she had been exposed to all her life. She hadn't even known that there were other religions until she turned thirteen.

For a while she experimented with different religions, trying to figure out what she liked. She had tried Buddhism, Paganism, and even Scientology before she circled back to Christianity.

For a long time she had only known how the Episcopal church did things. She hadn't explored other denominations within Christianity. She looked at Catholicism, Mormonism, and Presbyterianism before she finally settled into a nondenominational church that had since become a home to her.

She got up, showered, and put on her favorite dress. It was a white silk V-Neck dress that reached past her knees. Her favorite part were the long angel sleeves. She put on a pair of white T-Strap heels and a pearl necklace with matching earrings. She did her hair and let it cascade down her back in soft waves and did her makeup before going to get her son.

Bryce was happily babbling as he reached up to play with some of the toys that hovered over his crib. When he saw his mother his smile grew.

"Good morning, my angel! Are you ready to go to church today?" She asked as she plucked him up into her arms. She dressed him in a white gown with matching booties before loading him into the car and driving to church.

She sat in the front row and listened as the ceremony began.

"Dearly beloved, we are honored with the privilege of being present here today to witness and support in faith the baptism of Bryce Cortland Ryan; the son of Chloe Ryan, born into this world on July 22, 2008."

"You have been invited here as family and friends as your prayers and spiritual support in the life of this child. It has been said that in a Baptism, Heaven comes down and surround the child with God's love for which the effect is lifelong. We join our thoughts and sincere goodwill, asking that Christ's peace might embrace this family and an arc of God's light surround this child for all of his days.

Throughout our lives, we are called upon to make make serious decisions. The decision of dedication you make today is one of the most sacred and significant you may declare. By it you confess your faith and formally dedicate yourself to our heavenly Creator, pronounce your faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, call upon the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and profess fellowship in the circle believers of baptism."

"Let us begin in Prayer:

Jesus said: "If anyone would come after me, let that person disregard themselves, take up their responsibility daily, and follow me. For whosoever world save his life selfishly shall lose it, but whosoever loses their life for My sake shall save it."

"Jesus further said: "Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

"Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instructs us that all should come to faith with the eyes and heart of a child. Today, we dedicate Bryce Cortland Ryan to Our God in this Baptism.

In Jesus Christ, we are set free of the punishment of sin and oppression of law. By grace in faith we are forgiven and assured eternal life.

Jesus gave unto us two great commandments, which we should strive in heart and mind to obey. Both are of Love. Love God with all our hearts. Love others as we would have others love us. These two things our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commands of us."

"Chloe Ryan, will you teach Bryce Cortland Ryan the truth that from childhood he may realize his unity with God and of Christian doctrine, the gospel ministry and of the salvation by grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Will you try to conduct your own life so that by both word and example, Bryce may learn to live joyously and harmoniously with Christian principle and the assurance of salvation - will you strive to do this to the best of your ability?"

"I will." She swore.

Pastor Bobby took Bryce into his arms, held him over the water, and poured it over his head.

"Bryce, I baptize you in the name of the Father; In the name of the Son; and in the name of the Holy Spirit; Amen." Bryce did not cry, he did not make a sound.

Pastor looked up at the crowd.

"Let us pray. Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secret is kept, we place ourselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Grant us and this child/believer now dedicated to you, our Lord God and Heavenly Father, a clear understanding of the duties and obligations we now assume. We pray for the care and protection of this child in body and soul. We surrender him to your hands. Please, Dear Heavenly Father, bind your angels to bless and attend him always. May his heart grow strong, may he love patiently, and may he do what is good and holy in your eyes. This we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen."

He put a hand on Bryce's head. "As a child of the covenant, receive this blessing. In Baptism you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ's own forever and ever. Amen."

"Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, anointing with oil was an act in recognition of wealth, prominence, inheritance and position. Yet in the anointing of Christ before his death on the cross, we were shown the true measure of possession, inheritance and wealth is not found by worldly measures.

In Christian history, anointing a child with oil would follow the Baptism, as a statement that whether Bryce's future in this lifetime is of power and wealth, or is a life of want and hardship, having now entered into the Kingdom of God, Bryce is wealthier than any worldly King or Queen, as Bryce is assured of a final future inheritance and place in the Paradise of Heaven, where all is joy, there is no want and there is perfect peace and harmony."

"Bryce Cortland Ryan, having now been dedicated into the Kingdom of God, I anoint thee with all the wealth you now possess as one of the Kingdom of God - the power and majesty of our Lord God; the unlimited and sacrificial love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the spiritual wisdom and assurance of the Holy Spirit; and of your great inheritance - life everlasting in the paradise of heaven - of perfect peace, harmony and joy. No man or woman could be possess more than this."

"Bryce, from this day onward, no matter how dark the world may seem nor how alone and lost you may feel, you shall never be alone again, never without hope or assurance of final victory. You are a citizen of the Kingdom of God and body of believers of Christendom, in this world and in heaven. Our true Lord God shall always be with you; the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ shall always be your salvation through grace in faith, the Holy Spirit shall always minister to your heart and mind; and the multitude of God's angels encompass you

The light of God's Truth surrounds you, the love of God encompasses you, the power of God protects you, the presence of God watches over you and wherever you are God is always with you. So it is and so it shall always be. Amen.

Bryce Cortland Ryan, we bless you and you fill us with joy. God loves you and so do we."

The pastor made the sign of the cross and finished the service with the last blessing.

"May the Lord will Bless you and Keep you; make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you; Lift his Countenance unto you and give you peace. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy God, Amen."

Chloe smiled as she carried her son back to their seat. She knew Cortland was so proud.

They ended the baptisms with a potluck luncheon, where everyone came up to Chloe and told her how adorable her son was and how well behaved he had been through the service.

After a hearty lunch of sandwiches, potato salad, and corn (with a brownie or two for dessert), Chloe took her son home. She dressed him in a romper and sat him in a swing she had purchased for him at Christmas. It was a day that should have been devoted to family. She missed Cortland dearly. After preserving the baptismal gown, she watched her son and began to sing him a lullaby of her own creation.

"_If Daddy had the chance  
To tell you all he could  
Would you give a second glance  
When he told you where he stood?_

_Would you get up and run  
When you found out what he'd done?  
Would you never look at him the same again?  
Well you think what you will,  
But I remember still  
The man who was my husband and my friend_

_I think about him when I see you smiling  
I see him in the stars that hold such grace  
And If I had to be honest I'd say I'm lying  
If I said I didn't dream about his face._

_No one knew about the way he loved me  
Our relationship was secret from the start  
But that doesn't change the way he felt about me  
And that he's the only man who caught my heart _

_I still write to him to tell him all about you  
I send a letter and don't forget to pray  
And though he never got the chance to know you  
He's the angel watching over you each day._

_So if you wonder about the man who made you,  
Know that I loved him with everything I had  
And I know that he did bad things, I do  
But you should still be proud to call him dad."_

By the time the song was through, her baby had fallen asleep.


	4. First Birthday

**"Babies are a link between angels and man."- Author Unknown**

Chloe had woken up exceptionally early on that morning in July. Her emotions were in direct conflict with each other. It was her baby's first birthday, and although she was excited she couldn't help but feel a little sad. He already had a whole year under his belt. What was next- college?! She stopped herself and calmed herself down. There was no need to think about that yet. She washed the dishes she had left in the sink the night before. She knew she wanted some busywork to occupy her this morning.

She had stayed up late into the night, mind turning over the day to come. She wished Cortland were here to help her through this. She had hoped that he would visit her dreams, but her sleep had been inky and restless. She looked more worn out than her fifteen year old pair of sweatpants.

She sighed as she finished drying off the last dish and started putting them away in the cupboards, being careful to remain quiet. She didn't want to wake Bryce up. After she finished that she rummaged around the refrigerator until she found jars of Bryce's favorite baby food- strawberry and bananas. He loved fruit, so she knew she just had to make it a part of his birthday breakfast. She cleaned off his high chair and wiped down the counters to ensure maximum cleanliness. She could not afford to get sick today or any other day. Plus, since the birth of her bouncing baby boy she hadn't had much time for housework. However, she knew she had to fix that quickly. Her little munchkin had begun crawling a few months ago, so naturally she was terrified of him putting something dirty into his mouth.

She knew she was being outrageous, but what other choice did she have? Bryce was her responsibility and she didn't take that lightly. She started mopping the floor and then swept up in the other room while she waited for the kitchen floor to dry. She could see the sun streaming through the windows that she'd cleaned last night. She had been trying to fall asleep but it was a futile effort, so she had started cleaning in an attempt to soothe herself. It had worked.

After doing the floors she dusted the house completely before deciding that she had cleaned enough for one day. After putting all of her supplies away she glanced at the clock- it was eight in the morning. Her son would be up in an hour. She used the remaining time to make herself scrambled eggs and some toast while she let her mind wander until she wasn't thinking in words- only in colors and images that passed by so quickly that she couldn't get an impression on them. Perhaps this was her minds way of forcing her not to brood over the one piece of darkness that clouded her otherwise perfect world- life without Cortland.

She tried as best she could not to dwell on it, but sometimes it couldn't be helped. On days like these all she wanted was to be swept into his arms and bury her face into his chest. She loved him- irrevocably, intensely, and indelibly. Every beat of her heart was a moment longer away from him. It hurt- so badly did it hurt, but each moment she grew stronger. She lived on to carry his name. She would never give him up. Ever. She kept every letter he'd sent her, and on days when her longing for him grew too great, she read those letters, and even smelled them- in hopes of catching even the faintest whiff of him. He had always slept with his notepad near him so that she could smell him.

Today she pulled that box of letters out from under her bed and read them all over again, appreciating the curve of the letters he wrote and savoring every word he had penciled down to her. She had known a love that had made her use every part of her body, mind, and soul. In that way, she was no ordinary woman. It made her feel special even after he had passed.

A few minutes went by after she read the last letter. The hurt still stung as if it were only yesterday. She boxed them up and sighed before putting them back under the bed.

It was at that moment that Bryce woke up.

She smiled and raced to his room to see him standing up in his crib.

Putting down the side of the crib, she picked up her son and cuddled him happily.

"Happy birthday, baby boy!" She crooned. Bryce squealed in delight.

"Mama." He cooed. He had just started speaking the word regularly as of last month.

"Mommy loves you." She kissed his forehead.

She walked into her room and showed him a picture of Cortland. She showed it to him every morning. He had just started making the connection.

He pointed at the picture. "Dada."

"Yes, that's Daddy. He would be so proud of you." She whispered.

She went to the kitchen and started making a bottle for him. After testing it on her wrist she sat on the couch and started feeding him. She always gave him his bottle before his baby food. It was her way of keeping him a baby, she supposed.

She cuddled him, and once he finished his bottle she fed him his baby food.

Today she wanted to give him the most fun day possible, but she had a stop to make first.

It was a bright morning that July when she drove down the familiar path to the cemetery. She carried Bryce in her arms and sat down at Cortland's headstone, where she sang "Happy Birthday" to her son. She thought it only right to have both parents there for his first birthday.

After spending an hour talking to Cortland and telling him all about their son, she took Bryce home and made an effort to make this first of many birthdays as memorable as she could.

She gave him a new present every hour, and after a dinner of his favorite Spaghetti, she stripped him down to his diaper before giving him a frosted cupcake. After blowing out the candle, she took the wrapper off before letting him dig in, recording every precious moment with a video camera she'd purchased a few weeks before he was due. She'd captured every great stride in his development on that tape, and this huge milestone was no exception.

She was so proud of her son. He was Cortland's last gift to her, but what a gift he was. He was everything she had ever wished for. God had blessed her with a son, and she was so proud of how he was growing up.

She gave him a much needed bath before holding him in her arms and rocking him. Just before he fell asleep, she read aloud to him one of the most special writings ever to be written in his parents' shared history.

It was short, but to the point.

_Dear Son,___

_I hope that this first year of life was one that passed with love. I will always be watching over you and your mother. Look up at the stars and there I'll be.___

_Love,__  
__Dad_

She put her son to bed, then read the letter several times before putting it back in the box. She laid on her bed, happy and exhausted at the same time.

Nothing had been as turbulent as the past year of her life, but nothing had also never been as rewarding.


End file.
